The Types of Syllabus in Language Teaching and Learning

Language teaching and learning has developed from time to time. The development of language teaching and learning is influenced by the needs in a particular time. For example, linguists used the term approach and method to describe the language teaching and learning which was based on the assumptions. Brown, on his book, stated that Anthony viewed approach as the point of view about the nature of language and language teaching and learning.
Anthony also defined the term method as the way to presenting the language to students. Richards and Rogers substituted the term method with design – the specification of the learners, teachers and materials role. They also replaced the term technique with procedure that is all the tactics, strategies and activity in that happen in the class. In addition to them, Brown simply defined approach as the ways of defining what and how the students need to learn. He described method as ways of organizing the course and materials and technique as the ways of presenting the materials and teaching. Then, the needs of people changed. Language teaching and learning emphasized the students’ needs. McKay introduced the term syllabus as ways of organizing and planning language teaching and learning. This essay will describe all the things related to the syllabus, including the definition, types, and examples.

     Before talking about syllabus, it is important to know what curriculum is. Curriculum and syllabus are two related things. According to Feez, a curriculum is the general statement of goals and outcomes, learning arrangements, evaluation and documentation relating to the management programs within an educational institution. It is been developed in order to help students to learn efficiency and effectively. There are six steps that teachers must do in developing curriculum. First, teachers analyze the students’ needs. Second, they analyze the learning goals and objectives. After that, teacher should administer language test to analyze their students’ understanding. Fourth, they should analyze which the materials that have to be included according to students’ need. Then, they analyze and develop their teaching to help the students to learn better. Last, teacher must do the evaluation to examine whether the curriculum applied is successful or not. Another term that has to be known is syllabus. Syllabus is an explicit and coherent plan for a course of study. Syllabus is divided into two major categories: product-based syllabus (language-based syllabus and subject-matter syllabus) and process-based syllabus (non-language based). 

    As quoted from Nunan, product-based syllabus is syllabus in which the focus is the on the knowledge and skills which learners should gain as a result of instruction. It highlights the product of learning. This kind of syllabus is closely related to language-bases syllabus since it emphasizes on the language skill. While Nunan categorize syllabus into product-based syllabus and process-based syllabus, Porter classify the syllabus into language-based syllabus and non-language syllabus. It can be stated that product-based syllabus is similar to the language-based syllabus. Here, grammatical items and language skill are emphasized. There are two types of product-base syllabus (language-based syllabus). They are linguistic-based and subject-matter based. These two types are a priori syllabus, the syllabus in which units of language are selected as the basis for what is given to the students. Linguistic-based syllabus underlines the weak version of communication in which language units are used to communicate. Three types of linguistic-based syllabus are structural syllabus, functional-notional syllabus and combination syllabus.

    There are three types of linguistic-based syllabus. The first one is structural that is syllabus that focuses on grammatical forms. It deals with the vocabulary and grammatical structures. The sequencing of structures is typically ordered from easy to difficult. Another type of linguistic-based syllabus is functional-notion syllabus. Functional-notional is syllabus that deals with semantic function. It focuses on the communicative purpose and meaning. The last type is combination syllabus. In combination syllabus, syllabus is incorporated within at least some elements of a structural, and/or functional-notional and/or some other elements. These three syllabuses are dealt with the language units. This kind of syllabus is associated with the weak version of communication, whereas the other syllabus type, content-based syllabus (subject-matter syllabus), is associated with the strong version of communication.

    Content-based syllabus focuses on the content of a subject-matter such as mathematics, literature, science and many more. In content-based syllabus, the entire syllabus designed are linked and integrated with the subject-matter. The example for this syllabus is English for Special Purpose (ESP) such as English for business, English for science, etc. There are two recent approaches to syllabus design: sheltered English and Chamot and O’Malley Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA). The three components of CALLA are curriculum based on mainstream content areas, English language development integrated with content subjects and instruction in the use of learning strategies.  Even though this syllabus is oriented to the meaningful use of language units, still it does not pay attention to the process of learning as well as process-based syllabus.

    On his book, Nunan said that process-based syllabus is the syllabus which focuses on the learning experiences themselves. This kind of syllabus represents the posteriori syllabus. In this syllabus, all the materials in the classroom are interpreted by both the teacher and students. It is related with non-language based syllabus since process-based syllabus suggests a social function of a language rather than the language units. The process of learning is emphasized rather than the final product. In here, students are expected to experience their own learning. This kind of syllabus highlights the important of process in order to create meaningful learning for the students. Procedural syllabus, task-based syllabus and the natural approach are syllabuses that represent the process-based syllabus.

    There are three types of process-based syllabus: procedural syllabus, task-based syllabus and the natural approach. Procedural syllabus is syllabus that concerned with the process of learning students experienced. Procedural syllabus does not emphasize the final product and the language items. In here, the syllabus points the procedural materials that might students need in the real context. Task-based syllabus is syllabus that focuses on purposeful activities and tasks that might students need to achieve in real-life. The task given should be meaningful so that they can apply what they have learnt in the real situation. The natural approach is designed to develop basic personal oral and written communication skill. The natural approach emphasizes the important of learning in a natural way. This syllabus is connected with students’ psychological skill. Another syllabus that can be implemented to help students is text-based syllabus.

    Based on Feez, A text-based syllabus is concerned with units of a discourse called text. Text-based syllabus uses text as the main focus of the syllabus. A text is any stretch of language which is held together cohesively through meaning. This syllabus is related to the social theory of language. Text-based syllabus concerns with contexts of the language use in which there are three variables. They are field (the topic), tenor (the relationship) and mode (the distance). It also concerns with the language. There are three layers of language. The first layer deals with meaning, the second layer deals with words and structure, and the last layer deals with expression. Not only related to the social theory of language, but text-based syllabus also related to other syllabuses. Text-based syllabus related to many other syllabuses. Structural syllabus can provide repertoire of vocabulary and grammar activity to drawn on when preparing that part of text-based syllabus which focuses on vocabulary and grammar. Situational syllabus can help students to acquire the formulaic elements of simple exchange in certain settings. Topic can be a planning framework and students can recycle their knowledge of context. In addition to those syllabuses, functional-notional syllabus is the equivalent of a functional stage of whole text type and notions can be used in the same way as topic for text-based syllabus. It can also possible to think of text-based course as being task-based. Furthermore, a text-based syllabus can be thought of as a type of mixed syllabus.

    All in all, it can be stated that all terms used in the curriculum development are related each other. Syllabus as the part of curriculum development has been developed along the time. It has experienced evolution which is based on the needs of people from time to time. There are many types of syllabus. The two major categories are the product-based syllabus and the process-based syllabus. There are three types of product based syllabus such as structural syllabus, functional-notional syllabus and combination syllabus. There are three types of process-based syllabus like procedural syllabus, task-based syllabus and the natural approach. Text-based syllabus is one of the syllabus types that can be integrated with other syllabuses. Despite of their differences, each of the syllabuses has a role in helping students to achieve their learning goals.